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Ottawa’s Planning Committee on April 26 approved plans to restore Somerset House and to add an expansion to the rear of this heritage property at the corner of Bank and Somerset streets.

The three-storey expansion east of the building and facing Somerset St., is designed in a contemporary style that complements the character of the historic building. Restoration work on the historic building will involve reconstructing the corner tower, re-installing a north-facing bay window and restoring decorative brick and metal work.

The committee also approved the addition of 237 properties to the city’s heritage register as part of the Heritage Inventory Project.

City heritage staff are in the process of updating this inventory with all properties across Ottawa that have cultural heritage value. Lowertown and Sandy Hill are the first two communities where the inventory has been completed, with 130 properties identified in Lowertown and 107 in Sandy Hill. These new additions are not designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, however, adding them to the register indicates that they have cultural heritage value.

Reports for these committee-approved items will go to City Council on Wednesday, May 10.